JAMMU, Dec 18:Deputy Chief Minister, Dr. Nirmal Singh today said that the steps are underway for ensuring effective decentralization of the powers to the grass-root level so that the people are involved in day to day governance and formulation of need based, area specific plans and their implementation.
The Deputy Chief Minister was addressing huge gatherings after inaugurating a Panchayat Ghar and additional class rooms of Middle school at Dadwara, Billawar in Kathua district during his 2nd day of the extensive tour of Billawar and other far-flung areas of Kathua district.
MLA, Bani, Mr. Jeevan Lal, Ms. Mamta Singh, SDM Billawar, R. S Charak and senior officers of different departments and district administration were also present.
Dr. Singh said that ever since the present government took over, it has been the endeavor to involve the people at grass-root level in policy formulation, implementation and day to day governance which forms the basis of any democratic setup. He said that in this regard the necessary steps are already afoot to ensure decentralization of powers and participatory involvement of people in the Government.
Referring to the various initiatives undertaken by the government, the Deputy Chief Minister said that the National Food Security Act would go a long way in providing subsidized food grains to the people of the State. “The historical Act would provide succor to the people especially those living in rural and far-flung areas of the State”, he said and maintained that the verification time for registration under the Act has been extended so that every deserving family is brought under its ambit.
The Deputy Chief Minister said that under convergence plan of the rural development schemes various developmental activities would be undertaken in the area which would ensure that the area gets the requisite infrastructure besides creating job opportunities for people at their door steps. He said schemes like MGNREGA and other scheme in the rural developmental sector have a huge potential to change the socio-economic profile of the areas.
The Deputy Chief Minister while referring to the Prime Minister Package said that it is comprehensive in nature and would further accelerate the development of the State as separate heads are provided for sectors like, PDD, R&B, etc. He said that the necessary steps have already been initiated for its effective implementation so that the people of the state get the requisite benefit.
Dr. Singh said that the Education sector forms one of the priority sectors of the government and necessary steps have already been initiated for upgrading education infrastructure and also improving the quality of education to be imparted to the students. He said several schemes have already been initiated in this regard so that our students can excel and compete at national and international level and bring laurels to the state.
Dr. Singh also announced Rs. 2 lakh out of CDF for Katli bridge and said that the issue of opening JK bank branch at Katli has already been taken up with the concerned. He also said that the necessary instructions have been given to the SRTC to start a bus service from Jammu to Katli.
The Deputy Chief Minister also attended the public darbars at Katli Billawar and other areas en-route.
While interacting with the people of the area, Dr. Singh said that the instructions have already been passed to the officers of R&B to improve the surface condition of Baggan road in a phased manner besides early completion of Billawar-Katli road. He also said that the PDD infrastructure of the upper Baggan area would be improved and un-electrified villages would be covered under Deen Dayal Upadhaya Gramin Vidyuthkaran Yojana (DDUGVY) and necessary instructions have already been passed to the officers for preparing the DPR for installation of 45 new transformers in the area.
The Deputy Chief Minister further said that sub-division hospital Billawar would be upgraded to 100 beds and state of art medical facilities would be provided to the people. He said that the higher secondary school Billawar and Ramkote would be taken up as model schools.
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